Great Effort

In this Friday's video, Zen Master Bon Soeng (Jeff Kitzes), the guiding teacher of Empty Gate Zen Center in Berkeley, talks about the effort required to awaken. This Great Effort (sometimes called Great Courage), along with Great Faith and Great Question, characterize the Way-seeking mind.

Zen Master Seung Sahn once described Great Effort like this:

When a cat is chasing a mouse and the mouse runs into a hole, the cat's total concentration is on the hole. When the cat only concentrates on the hole, there is no thought of cat, only total focus on the hole into which the mouse ran. With this rigor and courage Zen should be practiced.

Please enjoy this short video:

Thank you for reading Ox Herding. And thank you for your Great Effort!

Barry

Comments

[bob]

I couldn't agree with this video more. We practice so we are better equipped to deal with the world when we get off the cushion; and our practice is better when it becomes part of our DNA. When we do it everyday because it is who we are.

[Genju]

hmmmmm.... making me think about what happens when things are 'going well' in my life... it seems craving and drivenness arises. when things are not going well... torpor, anger, worry arise. Doubt is there all the time...

wow... danged obstacles.... thank you, Barry!

[Barry Briggs]

Thank you, Bob and Genju, for your thoughtful comments.